Ebonyi State Assembly approves Umahi’s N8.4bn CBN loans request

Yesterday, Ebonyi state Assembly approves Umahi’s a go ahead to take three loans from the Central Bank of Nigeria for various purposes. This followed the letters written to the House by the governor, Dave Umahi, urging the House to approve the request.

The letters were read during plenary.

The loans include a N4.4 billion salary arrears bailout from the apex bank. Others included a N2bn loan for micro and medium scale enterprises development fund and a N2bn loan for rice production.

The letters were read by the Leader of the House, Joseph Nwaobasi, and accepted as a working document, after which the House dissolved into committees of the whole House to deliberate on the requests.

The Minority Leader of the House, Mrs Maria Ude Nwachi (PPA), representing Afikpo North West, in her contribution, urged the state government to ensure that the loans are utilized for the purposes they are given and not end up in private pockets of a few individuals.

She said: “My mind skips when I hear about these loans for agriculture, my mind skips. The reason is that most times, the money will end up in private pockets and the people that need the money will not be able to access it”

“The people will still be poor and the people who have access to it will plunder it. I am hoping that this present government will deviate from the norm by making sure the real farmers benefit from the loan.”

The chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture, Mrs Augusta Ude, promised that the committee will monitor the funds when procured to ensure they are not diverted.

Speaker of the House, Hon Ogbonnaya Nwifuru, put the requests of the governor to vote after the members spoke in favor and it was unanimously affirmed.